Best Mother-Son Act: Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear

There are lots of family acts in music history, most often consisting of brothers, who frequently seem to be feuding. Relatively uncommon is the mother-and-son partnership, with a few one-off exceptions, such as Ben Harper with his mom Ellen, Blake Shelton with his mom Dorothy, and Barbra Streisand with her son, Jason Gould. But Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear are a happy exception: a genuine, tightly knit band playing acoustic blues together. Performing at the Pandora Discovery Den at the Gatsby, the duo made the crowd feel like they were gathered around the family kitchen table. Madisen took most of the lead vocals, while his mother, Ruth, laid down a steady guitar groove — they traded musical phrases with the confidence that comes from decades of playing together, creating something beautiful and homemade.